Carnival success massive boost for Milan Park

Written by Paul Vettise

Milan Park Stud celebrated a golden Melbourne spring carnival result with homebred Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) that will have significant benefits in both the short and long term for the Cambridge farm.

Oceanex’s victory in Saturday’s G2 Matriarch S. at Flemington provided a massive pedigree boost for her dam Danex (NZ) (Danasinga), who remains in the ownership of stud principal Tony Rider.

Caulfield trainer Mick Price, who operates in partnership with Michael Kent junior, purchased Oceanex out of Milan Park’s draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale in 2017 for NZ$70,000 and it’s a fair bet that Danex’s future progeny on offer will be very much more sought after.

“It was a fantastic day for us as we own shares in Ocean Park and he’s on fire too,” Milan Park manager Grant Bennett said.

“Danex hasn’t got a yearling, but at foot she’s got a Pierro colt and she flies home from Australia on Tuesday night safely in foal to Justify. There’s a couple of rippers coming up there.

“The mare has also got a 2-year-old filly by Per Incanto that we have retained and is at Te Akau with Jamie Richards. She isn’t named yet, but she’s going really well and will trial soon.

“Saturday’s result makes a huge, huge difference. Danex is now the dam of four individual black type horses.”

A winner and Group 2 placed, Danex has also produced G3 Rough Habit Plate winner Amexed (NZ) (Pentire), Digital Fortress (NZ) (Savabeel), who placed in the G3 Norman Robinson S. and his sister Marcellina (NZ), who placed in the G2 Royal S. and in the G3 Sunline Vase.

Her last foal, a brother to Oceanex, to be offered was bought at Karaka last year by bloodstock agent Bruce Perry for NZ$280,000. Named Invaluable (NZ), he is in Richard Gibson’s Hong Kong stable and has yet to race.

Daughters snapped up

Three of Danex’s daughters have also been sold at auction this year with Marcellina purchased out of Bhima Thoroughbreds’ draft at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale by Grant Bloodstock and Sydney agent Andy Williams for $200,000.

Her half-sister, Natchwali (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), went to the Vieira Group for $260,000 at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale where she was offered by Newgate and Cambridge Stud went to $135,000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale for Danahere (NZ) (Dehere {USA}), the dam of Listed Darello S. winner Saint Patrick’s Day who was offered by Goodwood Farm.

Danex was bought at Karaka as a yearling for NZ$72,000 by agent Paul Moroney and was a winner and runner-up in the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic. She was purchase privately by Rider after she finished fourth in the G1 New Zealand Oaks.

Updates for RTR draft

Milan Park are also breeding from another daughter of Danex in Legless (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and her second foal will be part of their New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka next week.

“He’s by Savabeel so Oceanex’s win has made a huge difference for him,” Bennett said.

Watch: Legless (NZ) breeze-up

Lot 36 is a brother to Trolleyed (NZ), who was bought out of Milan Park’s Karaka yearling draft by Busuttin Racing for NZ$180,000 and has placed in four of her six starts.

“We’ve also got a Tavistock colt, Lot 197, who is a three-quarter brother to Werther,” Bennett said. “Four of our seven are by Savabeel and they are all a nice, tidy draft and we’re pretty excited.

“There have been a couple of big pedigree boosts with Oceanex and for the Savabeel colt out of The Solitaire that we’re in 50-50 with the Dennis brothers.”

Watch: Lot 209 breeze-up, a close relation to the G2 Herbert Power S. winner The Chosen One (NZ)

Lot 209 is out of the stakes winner The Solitaire (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and is closely related to the recent G2 Herbert Power S. winner The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel).

Rich experience

The inaugural winner of the Sunline Trust Scholarship in 2002, Bennett took up his role at Milan Park in 2016 following stints at Fayette Park, Waikato Stud, Rodmor Stud, Ashwell Farm, Stoney Bridge Farm and Westbury Stud.

Milan Park began operations in 2007 on the property formerly owned by Bob Emery and operated as Belvedere Farm and has bred G1 Telegraph H. winners Irish Fling (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Adventador (NZ) (Fast ‘n’ Famous {NZ}) and G1 New Zealand Oaks placegetter Savvy Dreams (NZ) (Savabeel).

It also has shares in a number of stallions, including the champion Savabeel, Per Incanto (USA), Sacred Falls (NZ), Tarzino (NZ), Contributer (Ire) and Tivaci.

Last year, Rider and the Hawkins family of Wentwood Grange paid a record NZ$11.1 million for a Cambridge dairy farm and the 92.5 hectare property was split into two for their respective thoroughbred operations.